Channel 7 report: No tourists and desperate times for vendors/ hotels in Pattaya

[Eindhoven]

On 9/3/2020 at 3:51 AM, thaibeachlovers said:

Fair enough.

 

Thailand is far more "capitalist" than most of the countries we farangs come from, which is why we went there- cheap bargirls.

That's why we are concerned that the government isn't giving them any support, but that's the other side of the coin from the good times we knew before.

Can't have it both ways. If LOS goes socialist and provides unemployment support the taxes go up and BGs get more expensive.

 

No, it's why you went there. Who is this we? No, it's just you and your opinion. If some other sex tourists want to agree with you, they can like your post. Otherwise it's just you.

 

[Leaver]

8 hours ago, Eindhoven said:

 

No, it's why you went there. Who is this we? No, it's just you and your opinion. If some other sex tourists want to agree with you, they can like your post. Otherwise it's just you.

 

No other reason to come to Pattaya except for the sex trade.  It's not like it has a nice beach, or surrounded by nature.  

[DrTuner]

21 minutes ago, Leaver said:

No other reason to come to Pattaya except for the sex trade.  It's not like it has a nice beach, or surrounded by nature.  

Most sunny days in Thailand. It was one of the reasons I selected it. The others at the time were availability of internet (back in 2007 it was still an issue) and complete absence of feminism, thanks to the flesh trade. Sun is still here.

[Leaver]

18 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

Most sunny days in Thailand. It was one of the reasons I selected it. The others at the time were availability of internet (back in 2007 it was still an issue) and complete absence of feminism, thanks to the flesh trade. Sun is still here.

Climate is one of the big reasons I am in this region also, but without the sex trade, what else has Pattaya, as a city, really go to offer?  

[Eindhoven]

57 minutes ago, Leaver said:

No other reason to come to Pattaya except for the sex trade.  It's not like it has a nice beach, or surrounded by nature.  

 

A confession it seems. Speak for yourself. Some of us have different reasons for being here that have absolutely nothing to do with the sex trade or any other shady kind of business. I am here purely as a holidaymaker. Such as shame that your imagination is so limited in this matter.

 

[Leaver]

1 hour ago, Eindhoven said:

 

A confession it seems. Speak for yourself. Some of us have different reasons for being here that have absolutely nothing to do with the sex trade or any other shady kind of business. I am here purely as a holidaymaker. Such as shame that your imagination is so limited in this matter.

 

I openly admit I am here for the nightlife.  

 

Of all the places you could have gone, is Pattaya the best place you could chose for a "holiday?"  Seriously?  

[jacko45k]

11 hours ago, Leaver said:

Climate is one of the big reasons I am in this region also, but without the sex trade, what else has Pattaya, as a city, really go to offer?  

Compared to other cities in the country, quite a lot for a Westerner. (Bangkok is just too big and snarled up). This was all more apparent some years ago when there were only 3-4 decent cities that even had supermarkets and cinemas. Pattaya was on the sea and I liked fishing. Good proximity to Bangkok and the airport. Shopping facilities above and beyond many other places. Wide selection of dining options of all nations under the sun. Cheap accommodation.

I used to also stay in Nakhon Ratsasima a good amount and it was chalk and cheese! That sense of anticipation coming through Sri Racha was high....

Edited September 5, 2020 by jacko45k

[luckyluke]

9 hours ago, Leaver said:

I openly admit I am here for the nightlife.  

Many does. 

 

19 years ago, my Thai wife and myself moved from Bangkok to Pattaya (Darkside).

I tried Korat, where she is from, but it didn't work.

I need too much western stuff, and Pattaya provide this, practically like Bangkok does. 

That it also supply other "things", for specific people, is something I can live with. 

 

[Eindhoven]

16 hours ago, Leaver said:

I openly admit I am here for the nightlife.  

 

Of all the places you could have gone, is Pattaya the best place you could chose for a "holiday?"  Seriously?  

 

Yes. If my friends are here, working legitimately. Not an issue to travel further to a better beach when the mood takes. Supermarkets have a ok range of International foods. Beachfront accommodation not too expensive.

Sometimes you just need to switch your brain to 'ON', to see the possibilities, rather than obsessing over the availability of prostitutes.

 

Sad really.

[Leaver]

7 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Compared to other cities in the country, quite a lot for a Westerner. (Bangkok is just too big and snarled up). This was all more apparent some years ago when there were only 3-4 decent cities that even had supermarkets and cinemas. Pattaya was on the sea and I liked fishing. Good proximity to Bangkok and the airport. Shopping facilities above and beyond many other places. Wide selection of dining options of all nations under the sun. Cheap accommodation.

I used to also stay in Nakhon Ratsasima a good amount and it was chalk and cheese! That sense of anticipation coming through Sri Racha was high....

Allow me to clarify, "without the sex trade, what else has Pattaya, as a city, really got to offer FOR TOURISTS?"

 

I agree with everything you mentioned, and it's great for expats, but would you bring your wife and kids here for a holiday?  Would you come here for a honeymoon?  Would you come here  with your girlfriend for a holiday?  

[Leaver]

7 hours ago, luckyluke said:

Many does. 

 

19 years ago, my Thai wife and myself moved from Bangkok to Pattaya (Darkside).

I tried Korat, where she is from, but it didn't work.

I need too much western stuff, and Pattaya provide this, practically like Bangkok does. 

That it also supply other "things", for specific people, is something I can live with. 

 

Totally agree.  I chose Pattaya for the climate, proximity to a major hub airport, proximity to embassies, availability of western things, particularly cuisine,  good medical, affordability, nightlife, festivals etc.  All good things for expats. 

 

That said, as a western tourist, not a sex tourists, would you holiday to Pattaya?

[jacko45k]

4 minutes ago, Leaver said:

Allow me to clarify, "without the sex trade, what else has Pattaya, as a city, really got to offer FOR TOURISTS?"

That and the wonderful Nong Nooch! Come on there are loads of attractions and theme parks around, most of them mainly concrete models yes..... the  water parks and beach are tourist attractions. Then there are all them Malls!

[jacko45k]

3 minutes ago, Leaver said:

That said, as a western tourist, not a sex tourists, would you holiday to Pattaya?

Only if I could get laid...

[luckyluke]

2 minutes ago, Leaver said:

That said, as a western tourist, not a sex tourists, would you holiday to Pattaya?

 Not really, if one is a beach lover. 

For golf amateurs and others, 

Pattaya has a lot of  very nice hotels (After Bangkok) at very decent prices (Even before Covid). 

[Leaver]

52 minutes ago, Eindhoven said:

 

Yes. If my friends are here, working legitimately. Not an issue to travel further to a better beach when the mood takes. Supermarkets have a ok range of International foods. Beachfront accommodation not too expensive.

Sometimes you just need to switch your brain to 'ON', to see the possibilities, rather than obsessing over the availability of prostitutes.

 

Sad really.

Are you working in Pattaya?  I didn't get that impression from your previous post/s.  I was under the impression you had long holidays in Pattaya.  

 

Did you consider one of the islands in Thailand? 

 

Pattaya is city by the sea, not as nice as many other places in Thailand, or South East Asia. 

 

Then, you have the undesirables, Thai's and farang, that are drawn here by the sex trade.    

[Leaver]

25 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

That and the wonderful Nong Nooch! Come on there are loads of attractions and theme parks around, most of them mainly concrete models yes..... the  water parks and beach are tourist attractions. Then there are all them Malls!

The beach looks nice now, but will return to being a sewer when Covid has passed and the hordes return. 

 

Europe, UK, USA etc etc have malls.  Pattaya may qualify as a "shoppers paradise" but to whom?  

 

I agree, some may take advantage of the climate and go to the water parks, and there are some things like the parasailing and patting an elephant that would not be available to some tourists in their home country, but once again, they are available in nicer locations in Thailand. 

 

Pattaya must compete with other tourists destinations in Thailand that offer the same things, but with nicer nature.  I'm not sure why some chose Pattaya over other destinations in Thailand.         

[GeorgeCross]

20 hours ago, Leaver said:

No other reason to come to Pattaya except for the sex trade.  It's not like it has a nice beach, or surrounded by nature.  

its close to bangkok, has fresh air and a beach. even a bad beach is better than a bangkok park.

i'd be there myself but my wife can't handle the stigma ????

 

samui = boring after 10 years

chiangmai = air quality

phuket = traffic

bangkok = TRAFFIC

hua hin = best dirty shirt as i couldn't convince my wife on pattaya!

 

 

[Leaver]

35 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Only if I could get laid...

Which seems to be one "activity" that has drawn tourists to Thailand for decades.  ???? 

[Leaver]

34 minutes ago, luckyluke said:

 Not really, if one is a beach lover. 

For golf amateurs and others, 

Pattaya has a lot of  very nice hotels (After Bangkok) at very decent prices (Even before Covid). 

Most tourists going on a holiday to a tropical area look at a beach location.  Pattaya doesn't exactly represent the "palm tree and white sand" holiday.   

[Leaver]

8 minutes ago, GeorgeCross said:

its close to bangkok, has fresh air and a beach. even a bad beach is better than a bangkok park.

i'd be there myself but my wife can't handle the stigma ????

 

samui = boring after 10 years

chiangmai = air quality

phuket = traffic

bangkok = TRAFFIC

hua hin = best dirty shirt as i couldn't convince my wife on pattaya!

 

 

I think you are speaking as an expat. 

 

How many tourists spend a 2 week holiday in Bangkok?   Sure, they go for a few days, visit the palace, the temple, boat ride on the river etc, but then off to a nice relaxing beach somewhere.   

 

Does Pattaya offer a nice relaxing beach holiday?  

[kingdong]

51 minutes ago, GeorgeCross said:

its close to bangkok, has fresh air and a beach. even a bad beach is better than a bangkok park.

i'd be there myself but my wife can't handle the stigma ????

 

samui = boring after 10 years

chiangmai = air quality

phuket = traffic

bangkok = TRAFFIC

hua hin = best dirty shirt as i couldn't convince my wife on pattaya!

 

 

fresh air?last3 trips have had bad chest infections,the air quality is diabolical,with residents gaffa taping up all their window frames.

Edited September 6, 2020 by kingdong

[3NUMBAS]

airlines are looking at 5 years till  long haul gets bck to normal so good luck in the meantime

[jacko45k]

13 hours ago, Leaver said:

Which seems to be one "activity" that has drawn tourists to Thailand for decades.  ???? 

I remember landing down in Had Yai and the taxi driver stopped off at the local knocking shop for me to pick a take out for my few days stay!

[Eindhoven]

19 hours ago, Leaver said:

Are you working in Pattaya?  I didn't get that impression from your previous post/s.  I was under the impression you had long holidays in Pattaya.  

 

Did you consider one of the islands in Thailand? 

 

Pattaya is city by the sea, not as nice as many other places in Thailand, or South East Asia. 

 

Then, you have the undesirables, Thai's and farang, that are drawn here by the sex trade.    

 

Thanks, but I already know all of the options. I'm not a newbie, since I first visited in 1992.

 

The fact is you should just speak for yourself. You came for the sex industry, not we.

[petermik]

7 hours ago, Eindhoven said:

 

Thanks, but I already know all of the options. I'm not a newbie, since I first visited in 1992.

 

The fact is you should just speak for yourself. You came for the sex industry, not we.

There is no "sex industry" in Pattaya...adult entertainment yes...visiting the religious sites here is what I came for

[petermik]

And for anyone who is interested in the Historical aspect of Pattaya "The Castle" has temporarily closed and the "dungeons" mothballed until further notice

[phetchy]

3 minutes ago, petermik said:

And for anyone who is interested in the Historical aspect of Pattaya "The Castle" has temporarily closed and the "dungeons" mothballed until further notice

Or for further education, the classroom remains open during term time I understand .????‍????

[xofswen]

On 7/10/2020 at 7:05 AM, SteveK said:

Was speaking to a Thai friend of mine recently and she said "the economy will recover soon because everyone wants to visit Thailand". Had a bit of a laugh at that and chatted about how expensive Thailand is now for smelly old westerners, and how the Thai love of endless paperwork and bureaucracy has soured many people's opinions of the place. I mentioned how I can enter Mexico visa free for 6 months no questions asked, and how it takes >100 sheets of paper for me to apply for my marriage extension here. Plus how easy it is to reside in Cambodia with little more than a few passport photos, the required money in USD and 5 minutes to fill out a form.

 

Sometimes it seems like Thai people are living in a bubble. They don't know what other countries offer, and assume that Thailand is the best country in the world. Now seems like the best possible time to start reigning in some of the ridiculous requirements for people who just want to come here and spend their hard-earned money in the country. If they want to keep the bad guys out, surely all they need is to do a background check rather than requesting endless pieces of paper and hand-drawn maps which will get filed away somewhere never to be seen again?

How is it possible for Thai immigration to conduct criminal background checks at the airport immigration counter based on their systems, if that's what you are alluding to, on the myriad of potentially dangerous criminals entering Thailand daily, (pre-covid outbreak) on VOA unchecked, unvetted, zero pre-screening, no access or links to criminal data banks from the west and all other corners of the globe? It's impossible under their current system. The only way to weed out the undesirables is to?? Apply for a visa, everyone except countries bordering Thailand, PRIOR to travel. Until then expect the worst of the worst to make Thailand's resorts the resort haven it isn't.

Edited September 8, 2020 by xofswen

[Leaver]

On 9/7/2020 at 5:17 AM, jacko45k said:

I remember landing down in Had Yai and the taxi driver stopped off at the local knocking shop for me to pick a take out for my few days stay!

Been going on since The Vietnam War.  

[Leaver]

On 9/7/2020 at 10:40 AM, Eindhoven said:

 

Thanks, but I already know all of the options. I'm not a newbie, since I first visited in 1992.

 

The fact is you should just speak for yourself. You came for the sex industry, not we.

I admit I came to Pattaya for the nightlife, but I don't see myself staying in Pattaya until my dying days. 

 

The climate is the same in the region, and many other tourist places in Thailand, and the region, cater for western expats.  Infrastructure and access to larger airports are not a problem.

 

Just wondering why you chose Pattaya.